Life saving mask



Feb. 6, 1934. SEIJO 1,945,919

LIFE SAVING MASK Filed Aug. 20. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WIT 55s; ATTORNEY Feb. 6, 1934.

M. F. SEIJO LIFE SAVING MASK Filed Aug. 20. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MODESTOfE'E/VIYNDEZJE/JO I I ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to life preserving devices in general and particularly to a head mask adapted to supply the wearer with oxygen when he is surrounded by either water or oxygen-poor at- 5 mosphere.

The prime object of my invention is to provide a simple, relatively inexpensive device of this sort which possesses certain advantages over existing apparatus of similar kind in that it is comparatively small and handy in its application to the head, light in weight and readily attachable, and is provided with means for effecting a perfect seal between the device and the wearers head irrespective of the shape of the latter.

Another object of this invention is to provide in connection with such device a rigid outer shell equipped with eye openings provided with transparent closures and an adjustable interior mask element adapted to engage the nose and mouth portions of the wearer, to which parts of the face oxygen is directly supplied.

Another object of my invention is to provide in connection with my device an oxygen container secured to the outer rigid shell and connected therethrough with the interior mask element, and provided with oxygen supply control means adjustable from without the mask and with a gauge adapted to indicate the time during which the device was used.

A still further object of my invention is to provide attaching means either in the form of an attachable strap or in the form of a garment to he slipped over the upper body of the wearer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter specifically pointed out, or will become apparent, as the specification proceeds.

With the above indicated objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel constructions and combinations and arrangement of parts, clearly described in the following specification and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which latter show embodiments of the invention as at present preferred.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates an interior View of a preferred form of my device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-8 through Fig. 1, shown attached to the head of the wearer.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional detail view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 illustrating a cross-section through a portion of the outer shell and through the mask element adapted to cover the nose and mouth of the wearer.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective detail view of the mask element; and

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of mydevice provided with an attaching garment.

New particularly referring to the figures, numer-al l0 denotes the outer shell of my device, which is preferably made of aluminum or other metal and which is adapted to cover the face and a portion of the head and extend behind the ears or" the wearer, which is provided at its edge with an inverted flange indicated at 11 so arranged as to accommodate an endless tubular cushion 12, which may be inflated from without by means of a valve 13.

By means of the inflatable cushion it is made 0 possible that only a few sizes may be required for accommodating the difierently shaped head formations of various persons. a

In Figs. 1 to 3 the metallic shell is equipped with an attaching strap indicated at 14, which is preferably adjustable and has for its purpose the attachment of the shell to the head of the wearer. At the front of the shell member there are provided two openings covered by air-tight transparent shields l5 permitting the wearer to see therethrough.

Disposed somewhat below and inbetween the two eye openings there is seen a guide 16 adapted to receive a guide member 17 of a semi-flexible mask element 18. fhe latter is adapted for covering the nose and mouth portions of the face and is so arranged as to be fairly rigid but nevertheless permitting complete sealing of the engaged face portion of the wearer. I preferably make this portion of rubber with the reinforced but pliable flange 19, although any other suitable material may be employed for this purpose.

Extending from the forward portion of the rigid shell are two brackets 20, to which is attached a container 21 adapted to receive a charge 9. of oxygen under pressure which is supplied thereto by means of an intake valve 22. The container is also equipped with a gauge 23 which not only indicates the pressure but also is adapted to indicate the hourly use of oxygen.

Secured to the lower wall of mask element 19 is an oxygen conveying tube 24 provided with a valve 25 and which extends downwards into the interior of the metal shell and telescopes with another tube 26 which is associated with shell 18 at 2'7 and extends through the shell into the container 21 and is attached thereto at 28.

Tube 26 is provided with an oxygen control valve 29 operable from without the shell through Cell;

which the required amount of oxygen may be supplied to the wearer.

At the bottom of the lower wall of mask element 19 there will be observed a release valve indicated at 30, which permits exhalation into the space between the outer shell, and the head of the user and any excess pressure in said space may be dissipated between the endless pneumatic cushion 12 and the head surface of the wearer.

Referring to Fig. 6, a modified form of attachment is shown in this figure in which again an outer shell is illustrated having eye openings covered with transparent sheets 15. From the shell extend brackets suspending a container In this modified form attaching strap 14 is omitted and instead there is provided a garment which extends over the back portion of the head and around the neck of the wearer, which head and neck portions are permanently associated with the metallic shell. From the neck portion thereextends downwardly a body portion 31 provided with arm holes 32 and so arranged as to enable the wearer to slip the garment over his head and to pass the arms through holes 32. Otherwise the front portion of my mask remains the same. The garment portion 31 is preferably made of elastic material so as to accommodate heads of different build.

The hereinbefore described construction admits of considerable modification without departing from the invention; therefore, it is the wish not to be limited to the precise arrangements shown and described, which are as aforesaid, by way of illustration merely. In other words the scope of protection contemplated is to be taken solely from the appended claims, interpreted as broadly as is consistent with the prior art.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A life preserving head mask, comprising a metallic, rigid, air-tight shell having an inwardly flanged rim, an inflatable cushion arranged within said rim, an adjustably mounted semi-flexible mask element associated with the interior of said shell and adapted to cover the nose and mouth of the wearer, an oxygen inlet tube variable in length extending from said mask element through .said shell for connection to an oxygen supply source, an oxygen supply control arranged at the external portion of the tube and adjustable from without said shell, a pressure release valve forming part of the mask element and adapted to release excess gas from within said element into the interior of said shell, and an attaching strap provided with the shell for securing the latter to the head of the wearer.

2. A life preserving device, comprising a metallic shell adapted to cover the front portion of a wearers head and extending behind the ears, a rounded flange provided at the edge of the shell, a pneumatic, endless cushion secured in said flange and adapted to engage the head of the wearer, means accessible from without and secured to said cushion for inflating it, a mask element adapted to engage the nose and mouth portions of the wearers face adjustably mounted within said shell, guide means secured to the latter, guide engaging means forming part of said mask element, by which it is secured to the shell, an oxygen container suspended from the latter, an intake valve-controlled oxygen delivery tube extending from said mask element into said shell, another tube in telescoping engagement with the first mentioned tube secured to the shell and connected with said container, a control valve provided with said other tube and accessible from without said shell a release valve opening into said shell provided with said mask element, and means associated with the shell edge for facilitating the attachment of the shell.

low rigid shell member having an inwardly" flanged edge, an inflatable pneumatic, endless cushion secured in said flanged edge, a semiflexible mask element adjustably mounted within said shell and adapted to cover the mouth and nose of the wearer, an oxygen container secured to said shell, a variable length tube connecting said container through said shell with said mask element, an oxygen supply valve provided outside the shell with said tube, a pressure release valve arranged with said mask element and adapted to 

